“Sir Dominic, why are you sad?” Valentina asks, her voice casual, matter-of-fact, as though the question is as simple as asking about the weather. It takes me so off guard that I knock the wrong stone, losing the round.
“Pardon?”
She doesn’t look at me, her focus on reassembling the game board. “Why are you sad?” she repeats.
“Why do you assume I am sad, young Valentina?”
She sighs, exasperated, as if I’m the most frustrating faerie she has ever encountered. “You look sad!” She flicks her stone, her eyes briefly lifting to meet mine. “Are you?”
“Yes.” The word escapes before I can even think. “I am.”
“I know.” She nods sagely, her small hand coming to rest on my forearm with unexpected gentleness. “Why are you sad?”
There’s no way I can reveal the darkness in our kingdom to a child who has a pretend sparrow named Friend. The weight is too much to share, too complicated for someone so innocent.
“It is nothing to worry yourself over. Let us continue our game.”
“Is it your brother?” she asks, scrunching up her nose. “My brother is always such a bother!”
I laugh, shaking my head. “No, I don’t have any brothers or sisters.”
“Oh.” She looks up at me with wide, solemn eyes. “Is that why you’re sad?”
“No, little one.” When I was younger, I yearned for a sibling more than anything in the eight realms. Now, I’m grateful it’s only me who must bear the burden of my mother’s nature.
Valentina surprises me by rolling onto her back, staring up at the sky. “Do you want to tell me why you are sad?” she asks, her voice quiet. After a moment, a small smile tugs at her lips. “Or maybe you could tell me why your friend is sad instead?”
It takes me a second to understand, and then I can’t help but laugh, reaching over to tousle her unruly hair. Such a clever girl, disarming me with her simplicity and warmth. Against all reason, I feel the urge to tell her everything.
“I won’t tell anyone,” she says earnestly, her bright eyes fixed on mine. I open my mouth, intending to brush it off, to reassure her that both my “friend” and I are fine. But then the words come pouring out—everything I’ve been holding inside. I tell her about my father’s death, Florence and her family’s banishment, my mother’s relentless matchmaking, and the punishments for refusing them. I tell her about the Cupid’s Heart and how desperately I need to keep it hidden, about my mother’s obsession, and finally, about Florence’s betrayal.
The last word barely leaves my lips when realization crashes over me—what have I done? I’ve laid bare the darkest truths of my life to a child who should never carry such troubles. I clear my throat, guilt tightening my chest.
“I apologize, young Valentina.” I look down, my gaze falling to the ground where the game pieces are scattered.
But Valentina doesn’t acknowledge my apology. Instead, she speaks with surprising calmness. “It seems to me, Sir Dominic, that your friend has gone through a lot.” She picks up a stone, flicking it into place, cheering softly when it lands where she intended. “That’s another victory for me!” she exclaims, smiling as she resets the game. Once everything is back in order, she hands me a stick. “Your turn, Sir.”
“Oh.” I can’t seem to summon any words, nor the energy to play. I half-heartedly hit a stone, missing entirely. Valentina doesn’t seem to notice my distraction, or if she does, she chooses not to comment. She lines up her next shot, her expression thoughtful.
“Why does your friend’s mother want the heart stone? Is it beautiful?”
Her innocence brings me back to the present, and I clear my throat, taking my turn. “She wants it to secure her power as queen.”
“A heart stone makes you a queen?” she asks, her face scrunching up with curiosity. I smile, shaking my head.
“No, little Valentina. When my fath—” I pause, correcting myself. “When my friend’s father died, he should have become king. But he wasn’t of age, so his mother took over. The throne must always pass through the bloodline of the realm’s first ruler. It is in my—his...” I stammer, trailing off, and to my surprise, Valentina bursts into laughter.
“Sir Dominic! I know your friend isn’t real!” She laughs so hard she has to hold her stomach, her mirth infectious. “You don’t have to confuse yourself so much!”
I can’t help but join in, her laughter lightening something in me that has felt heavy for so long.
“Very well, you clever girl.” I lean back, a real smile tugging at my lips. “The truth is, the bloodline of Vaeloncia’s first ruler is what keeps our realm thriving. Without it, we would lose our purpose; we, who are meant to spread love and unite others, would fall into darkness.”
“And that’s what your mother wants?” she asks, her innocent gaze locked on mine. I hesitate, but then I nod.
“Yes. If she finds the Cupid’s Heart, her power will grow tenfold. No one could challenge her—no one would be able to take the throne from her. She’d be invincible, free to rule as she pleases.”
“That cannot happen!” Valentina exclaims, her voice filled with a passion that catches me off guard. She jumps to her feet, placing her small hands on my shoulders, her eyes fierce. “Sir Dominic, you must do whatever it takes to keep the heart stone away from her!”
I nod, my heart swelling with the sincerity of her plea. “I will try, little one,” I say, intending to reassure her. But she shakes her head, her breaths coming faster.
“No, Sir Dominic. You have to leave.”
“Leave?” I echo, confused. “Leave the lake?”
“No.” She shakes her head, her curls bouncing. “Leave Vaeloncia! You aren’t safe here anymore.”
I chuckle, attempting to brush off her intensity. “I appreciate your concern, little one, but my mother made an oath—”
“She made an oath to keep you safe only if you give her the heart stone!” Valentina cuts me off, her eyes widening. “There is no oath to protect you now!”
The realization crashes over me like a cold wave. She’s right. My mother’s oath only protects me if I give her the Cupid’s Heart. I hadn’t fully considered that loophole, and now it feels like the ground has been pulled out from beneath me.
“Where would I even go?” I mutter, more to myself than to Valentina. I think of Princess Rosetta’s offer of protection, but I can’t risk bringing chaos to her peaceful kingdom. There are no other realms where I have strong ties, and even if I did, my mother would use the claim of treason to force my return.
“Sir Dominic!” Valentina’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, her urgency undeniable. “I know where you can go!”
I smile at her, humoring her despite the panic rising in me. “Where?”
“The human realm!” she declares, her voice triumphant.